
Owen Jarus
Owen Jarus is a regular contributor to Live Science who writes about archaeology and humans' past. He has also written for The Independent (UK), The Canadian Press (CP) and The Associated Press (AP), among others. Owen has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University.
Latest articles by Owen Jarus

4,100-year-old tomb of doctor who treated pharaohs discovered at Saqqara
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists working at the site of Saqqara have discovered a 4,100-year-old tomb that held the burial of a doctor.

2,100-year-old coin hoard dating to dynasty of Jewish kings discovered in Jordan Valley
By Owen Jarus published
A coin hoard dating back about 2,100 years, during the time of the Jewish Hasmonean kings, has been discovered at a site in the Jordan Valley.

Lost site of Alexander the Great's famous battle against ancient Persians discovered in Turkey
By Owen Jarus published
Researchers believe they have found the site where Alexander the Great's troops fought the Battle of the Granicus.

10 stunning ancient Egyptian discoveries made in 2024, from hidden temples to hallucinogenic rituals
By Owen Jarus published
Every year brings new discoveries from ancient Egypt and 2024 was no exception. In this countdown, Live Science takes a look at 10 fascinating discoveries from the past year.

1,800-year-old gold ring with 'Venus the Victorious' carving discovered in France
By Owen Jarus published
An 1,800-year-old gold ring with a carving depicting Venus, a Roman goddess associated with victory, has been discovered in Brittany.

How did the ancient Egyptians celebrate the new year?
By Owen Jarus published
The ancient Egyptians celebrated the new year in a variety of ways, including having feasts, giving gifts, and exposing statues of gods to sunlight so they could be "regenerated."

What if the Persians had defeated Alexander the Great?
By Owen Jarus published
The world we live in might be unrecognizable if Alexander the Great had been defeated by the Persians.

188 medieval figurines that held Christian saints' bones unearthed in Berlin's oldest town square
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists have found 188 medieval reliquaries during excavations at a square in Berlin. Some of them still contain human bones of people considered to be saints or holy.

'Truly extraordinary' ancient offerings, including statues of snakes and a child priest, found submerged in 'healing' spring in Italy
By Owen Jarus published
The remains of ancient bronze statues, including sculpted snakes up to 35 inches long, have been found within a hot spring in Italy.

13 ancient Egyptian mummies found with gold tongues to help them talk in the afterlife
By Owen Jarus published
More than a dozen ancient gold tongues have been discovered in a cemetery at the site of Oxyrhynchus in Egypt.

Oldest firearms ever found in US were abandoned by Spanish in 16th-century battle against Native Americans
By Owen Jarus published
Two cannons found at a site dating to 1541 in Arizona may be the oldest surviving firearms in the U.S. They were abandoned by the Spanish after they were defeated in battle.

Possible bust of Cleopatra VII found at ancient Egyptian temple
By Owen Jarus published
A small statue of a woman wearing a royal crown may depict Cleopatra VII, an archaeologist claims. Other archaeologists think it is likely someone else.

2,100-year-old temple from ancient Egypt discovered hidden in cliff face
By Owen Jarus published
The temple is located close to Luxor and was possibly dedicated to the lion-headed goddess Repit.

'Stunning' discovery reveals how the Maya rose up 4,000 years ago
By Owen Jarus published
The discovery of complex fish trapping networks from 4,000 years ago hint at how the Maya rose up as a civilization in Central America and what is now southern Mexico.

Ancient Egypt quiz: Test your smarts about pyramids, hieroglyphs and King Tut
By Owen Jarus published
Quiz For over 3,000 years, ancient Egypt was one of the most powerful civilizations on Earth, with an empire stretching across half a dozen modern-day countries. How much do you know about this iconic culture? Take our quiz to find out.

2,600-year-old inscription in Turkey finally deciphered — and it mentions goddess known 'simply as the Mother'
By Owen Jarus published
An ancient inscription decorated with lions and sphinxes is finally deciphered, and it involves the "mother of the gods."

Evidence of 2,200-year-old hallucinogenic ritual found in Egyptian vase depicting dwarf god
By Owen Jarus published
An analysis of ancient residues left on a vase depicting the Egyptian deity Bes reveals it may have been used to reenact a myth.

12,000-year-old, doughnut-shaped pebbles may be early evidence of the wheel
By Owen Jarus published
The wheel was likely invented around 6,000 years ago, but a new analysis of curious rocks from Israel suggests that wheel-like technologies existed even earlier.

'Purple tunic' from royal tomb belonged to Alexander the Great, scholar claims — but not everyone agrees
By Owen Jarus published
A fragment of cloth found in a royal tomb in Greece decades ago might be the remains of a tunic once worn by Alexander the Great, a new study claims.

Rare tomb from Egypt's Middle Kingdom holds a wealth of jewelry and several generations of the same family
By Owen Jarus published
A rare discovery of a tomb from ancient Egypt's Middle Kingdom near Luxor may hold several generations from a single family.

'Unique' gold offering to god of war discovered at Roman fortress in Georgia
By Owen Jarus published
An excavation at a Roman fortress in the country of Georgia has revealed a gold offering to a god of war, a colorful mosaic and other artifacts.

Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement hidden in Saudi Arabian oasis
By Owen Jarus published
A Bronze Age settlement hidden on the Arabian Peninsula reveals secrets about the slow growth of urbanization in the region.

1,300-year-old throne room of powerful Moche queen discovered in Peru
By Owen Jarus published
Archaeologists in Peru have unearthed the throne room of a powerful queen from the Moche culture, and detailed murals of the female ruler decorate its walls.
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